Alabama Department of Laborhttp://apr.org
enhttp://apr.org/feeds/term/1387/rss.xmlInmate Strike Continues at Alabama Prison, Star-Studded Witness List for Hubbard Ethics Trialhttp://apr.org/post/inmate-strike-continues-alabama-prison-star-studded-witness-list-hubbard-ethics-trial
<p>A lockdown has been lifted at one Alabama prison where inmates had been refusing to work. At another facility, the strike is still on.</p><p>Alabama Department of Corrections officials say they’ve taken Elmore Correctional Facility off lockdown. Spokesman Bob Horton says about 80 percent of the 300 inmates who were striking at that facility have begun reporting to their assigned jobs again.</p>Wed, 11 May 2016 14:36:33 +0000Alex AuBuchon91467 at http://apr.orgInmate Strike Continues at Alabama Prison, Star-Studded Witness List for Hubbard Ethics TrialGrand Jury to Review Police Shooting, Alabama Officials Optimistic About Unemploymenthttp://apr.org/post/grand-jury-review-police-shooting-alabama-officials-optimistic-about-unemployment
<p>An Alabama judge says there’s enough probable cause to let a grand jury review the case against a white police officer in Montgomery charged with fatally shooting a black man last month.</p><p>Officer Aaron Smith was arrested and charged with murder less than a week after police say he fatally shot 58-year-old Greg Gunn in February.</p>Fri, 25 Mar 2016 14:06:53 +0000Alex AuBuchon89025 at http://apr.orgGrand Jury to Review Police Shooting, Alabama Officials Optimistic About UnemploymentAlabama Receives Unemployment Grant, Fourth of July Travel Precautionshttp://apr.org/post/alabama-receives-unemployment-grant-fourth-july-travel-precautions
<p>Alabama plans to use a $1.2 million federal grant to expand a program aimed at getting the state’s unemployed back to work.</p><p>The Alabama Department of Labor announced the grant in a statement yesterday. Agency officials say money from the U.S. Department of Labor will expand a program that provides one-on-one counseling services to people receiving unemployment benefits.</p>Fri, 03 Jul 2015 14:39:27 +0000Alex AuBuchon74944 at http://apr.orgAlabama Receives Unemployment Grant, Fourth of July Travel PrecautionsOfficials Cracking Down On Misclassified Workershttp://apr.org/post/officials-cracking-down-misclassified-workers
<p></p><p>Alabama's Labor Department has agreed to work with the U.S. Department of Labor to crack down on businesses that classify people as independent contractors when they are really regular employees.</p><p>Alabama Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald Washington and the U.S. Department of Labor's regional director for the wage and hour division, Wayne Kotowski, signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday in Montgomery. Kotowski said Alabama is the 16th state to sign an agreement to share information and coordinate enforcement.</p>Thu, 02 Oct 2014 20:34:39 +0000The Associated Press60461 at http://apr.orgOfficials Cracking Down On Misclassified WorkersGov. Bentley Names New Labor Commisionerhttp://apr.org/post/gov-bentley-names-new-labor-commisioner
<p></p><p>Governor Robert Bentley has appointed Fitzgerald Washington to be the next Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Labor.</p><p>Washington has spent the last 15 years working for The Buffalo Rock Company. While there he served as Corporate Marketing and Sales Director handling the company’s multicultural marketing initiatives before being promoted to General Sales Manager in 2002.</p><p>Governor Bentley also appointed Washington to the Alabama Workforce Council. Washington replaces Tom Surtees who stepped down as labor commissioner late last month.</p>Wed, 09 Jul 2014 21:31:17 +0000Ryan Vasquez55446 at http://apr.orgGov. Bentley Names New Labor CommisionerAlabama Unemployment Measures 6.3 Percenthttp://apr.org/post/alabama-unemployment-measures-63-percent
<p></p><p>Alabama's unemployment rate measured 6.3 percent for August.</p><p>The state Department of Labor says the rate is up from July's revised figure of 6.2 percent, but it is well below the 7.5 percent rate from July 2012. It is also below the national rate of 7.3 percent.</p><p>The new figures show the number of unemployed Alabamians stayed about the same from July to August, but the number of people employed and the size of the labor force declined.</p>Fri, 20 Sep 2013 20:53:56 +0000The Associated Press38294 at http://apr.orgAlabama Unemployment Measures 6.3 PercentAlabama's Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.3 Percent http://apr.org/post/alabamas-unemployment-rate-drops-63-percent
<p></p><p>Alabama's unemployment rate declined to 6.3 percent in July, which is the lowest rate in nearly five years.</p><p>Gov. Robert Bentley said Alabama has not had a rate that low since October 2008. July's rate was down from 6.5 percent in June and was well below the 7.6 percent rate recorded a year ago.</p><p>The state Department of Labor said the July rate represents about 135,000 people looking for work. That's down by nearly 5,000 people from the previous month.</p>Fri, 16 Aug 2013 21:56:07 +0000The Associated Press36185 at http://apr.orgAlabama's Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.3 Percent Alabama Unemployment Drops To 6.5 percenthttp://apr.org/post/alabama-unemployment-drops-65-percent
<P>Alabama's unemployment rate dropped to 6.5 percent in June, which is lowest rate in more than four years.</P>
<P>The state Department of Labor said the June rate was down from 6.8 percent in May, and it was the lowest rate recorded since Alabama hit the same figure in November 2008. It was also below the national figure of 7.6 percent.</P>
<P>The rate was supposed to be announced Friday, but the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics inadvertently released it early.Thu, 18 Jul 2013 22:18:00 +0000The Associated Press34412 at http://apr.orgAlabama Unemployment Drops To 6.5 percentBenefits Cut For Long-Term Unemployed Alabamianshttp://apr.org/post/benefits-cut-long-term-unemployed-alabamians
<P>Many long-term unemployed Alabamians will see their benefits drop 12.8 percent on April 28.</P>
<P>State Labor Department spokeswoman Tara Hutchison said the reductions are the result of mandatory federal spending cuts that all states must make. The cuts will affect people who have been receiving unemployment benefits for more than six months. Currently, about 16,500 Alabamians receive the extended benefits.</P>
<P>The 24,000 Alabamians who have been receiving benefits for less than six months won't be affected.Fri, 05 Apr 2013 22:09:16 +0000The Associated Press28038 at http://apr.orgBenefits Cut For Long-Term Unemployed Alabamians16,000 Alabamians to See Cut in Jobless Benefitshttp://apr.org/post/16000-alabamians-see-cut-jobless-benefits
<P>The long-term unemployed in Alabama will be among the first to feel automatic federal budget cuts scheduled to take effect Friday.</P>
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<P>A spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Labor says federal officials have advised the department to prepare for a cut of 9 percent to 10 percent in unemployment benefits for Alabamians who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits and are now getting the extended 37 weeks of federal benefits.</P>
<P>Spokeswoman Tara Hutchinson said the unemployment cuts are supposed to take effect Sunday and will affect 16,000 people.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:42:41 +0000The Associated Press25707 at http://apr.org16,000 Alabamians to See Cut in Jobless BenefitsAlabama Unemployment Drops to 7.1 Percenthttp://apr.org/post/alabama-unemployment-drops-71-percent
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<P>Alabama's unemployment rate has dropped again.</P>
<P>Gov. Robert Bentley said Friday that December's rate of 7.1 percent is down from 7.5 percent in November. It's the fourth month for a decline since measuring 8.5 percent in August.Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:42:22 +0000The Associated Press23387 at http://apr.orgAlabama Unemployment Drops to 7.1 PercentAla. Jobless Rate Drops To 7.5 Percent http://apr.org/post/ala-jobless-rate-drops-75-percent
<P>Alabama's unemployment rate fell sharply to 7.5 percent in November, a drop officials say was helped by holiday hiring.</P>
<P>The state Department of Labor said Friday the number represents 162,182 people who were jobless last month.</P>
<P>The state's unemployment rate was below the national rate of 7.7 percent, and it's down six-tenths of a percent from October.</P>
<P>The rate of 7.5 percent is also well below the year-ago rate of 8.3 percent.</P>
<P>Labor Commissioner Tom Surtees says the numbers show Alabama employers are expecting a strong holiday shopping season.Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:24:16 +0000Ryan Vasquez22296 at http://apr.orgAla. Jobless Rate Drops To 7.5 Percent 2 Alabama Departments Merging to Save Moneyhttp://apr.org/post/2-alabama-departments-merging-save-money
<P>The Alabama Department of Industrial Relations and the Alabama Department of Labor will merge Oct. 1, with the new department known as the Department of Labor.</P>
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<P>Labor Commissioner Jim Bennett is retiring after nine years in the post, and Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees will lead the combined department.</P>
<P>The Legislature approved the merger with the support of the governor, and it's supposed to save $100,000 to $200,000 per year.Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:26:02 +0000The Associated Press18353 at http://apr.org2 Alabama Departments Merging to Save Money